"Over her long career in public service — as an advocate for environmental justice in California, state legislator, member of Congress and Secretary of Labor — Hilda Solis has been a tireless champion for working families," Obama said in a statement. "Over the last four years, Secretary Solis has been a critical member of my economic team as we have worked to recover from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and strengthen the economy for the middle class. Her efforts have helped train workers for the jobs of the future, protect workers’ health and safety and put millions of Americans back to work."